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Roy smiled as he pecked a trail along the edge of his jaw. His fingers found the golden zipper again. “Grab my hands.”

“Huh?” Cal breathed out, but followed the command.

“Just squeeze if you need me to stop, okay?”

Slowly peeling off the jumpsuit, his eyes never left Cal’s, searching for the tiniest hint of unease. When he found none, he allowed his touch to roam deeper, tickling Cal’s ribs, brushing against the patch of blue fluff below his navel.

A warning flashed through his mind. Apparently, his manners had dulled if he hadn’t thought of this before. “Hey, Cal, uh—sorry, I should’ve asked before. You are human, right?”

“Would it be a problem if I wasn’t?” Cal asked, angling his head.

“No,” Roy said, a bit too fast. “Really, no. Just—I don’t want any consequences.” He squirmed, scratching his chin. “I knew a guy who dated a Ha’ran. Didn’t know their kin absorbed genetic material through the skin, and—well, the kids were very cute, but still, there were thirteen of them.” The rambling pushed a warm blush onto his cheeks. “What I meant to say⁠—”

“I’m human,” Cal cut in, the corner of his mouth twisted in a grin. “If you’re wondering about the blue hair, it was a genetic manipulation of my great-great-great-grandparents’. Altered pigment production in the hair follicles.”

“Why would they do that?” Roy chuckled, watching the tension leave Cal’s body until the blue-haired prince finally began tugging at his jumpsuit on his own.

“They dreamed of truly blue blood,” Cal snorted, kicking the jumpsuit off his ankles. After rolling his socks down, he smirked. “Never achieved that, but some other fluids became fluorescent.”

“What other—seriously?”

Cal stuck out the tip of his tongue. “Why don’t you find out?”

“You bet I will,” Roy groaned, catching that perfect, beautiful mouth in a deep kiss. Cal’s laughter echoed inside his mouth until it transformed into sighs and moans, then into needy whispers and cries.

When the wave had washed over both their bodies, Roy flopped onto his back, panting. He lifted his fingers, watching the opalescent, glowing blue fluid drip down to his wrist. “For Aether’s sake, it really does glow.”

“Told ya,” Cal mumbled, his half-lidded eyes drooping slowly.

Chapter

Eight

“Weary travellers! We are approaching our destinations. Please wake up the pilot,” AVOS chirped while refilling Roy’s steel mug with instant coffee. The gravity field was steady; they had plenty of fuel after refilling in the harbour.

“Alright.” Roy sighed and stretched his legs, fingers scratching his bare chest. He would’ve normally dressed, but Cal had managed to snatch the shirt he’d discarded the night before, cuddling to it as if it were a very flat plush toy. Roy’s attempt to pry it from his grip was met with a dissatisfied mumble, Cal’s arms tightening around the fabric.

He padded to the sleeping pod, boots pattering against the deck. When he leaned over, warmth spread in his chest, tightening around his throat. Cal was still curled with his shirt, face half-buried into the fabric, shoulders rising and falling with slow breaths. How many of these mornings did they have left before Cal became a royal again, leaving Roy and the silly pyrite-filled planet behind?

“Rise and shine, Starborn.” Propped against the side of the pod, Roy glanced one last time. “Cal?” He cleared his throat and called out louder, “Cal?”

No reaction? Roy sighed and brushed his fingers along Cal’s back.

“What?” Cal flinched awake. His eyes widened in terror—and for a moment, Roy’s heart froze. Was he regretting what had happened between them during the past few days?

“I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.”

Cal’s hand shot to his ears, rubbing them, then tapping. His nose scrunched, a whimper escaping his throat. “I can’t hear shit. Roy?!”

“Right here,” Roy said, squeezing Cal’s forearm. “You’re okay.”

“Are we about to land?” Cal’s fingers tightened around the shirt again.

Roy gulped, nodding.

Lavender eyes flicked between Roy’s face and the ceiling. “AVOS?”

“Captain o’ captain, what can I do for you?”